1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed toward an edge cleaning device for a coated web, and more particularly to a non-contact edge cleaning device for a moving web that has been coated and transported with the benefit of rollers.
2. Description of the Background Art
The following discussion of the background art is a result of the present inventors analysis of the systems and features of the related technology of the background art. The present inventors have determined that there are unique problems associated with coated webs and the available technology related to the cleaning of coated webs, particularly along the edges of coated webs moving through a coating or other similar process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,351,039 to Heisterkamp, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference, describes an exemplary roll cleaning device of the background art particularly designed to clean the edges of a sheet coating roll. Heisterkamp describes problems associated with the coating of certain sheet materials, such as sheets coated with latex materials. Often the coated sheet is applied with a coating in a quantity greater than the desired coating thickness to ensure full or adequate coverage over the sheet. The coated sheet is then carried over a backing roll where a proper coating weight is achieved by a knifing action of an air jet. The excess coating is subsequently sheared off to a collection pan below the air jet. The excess coating often carries over the edges of the sheet with the result that the backing roll is eventually coated with the excess coating material.
As seen in FIG. 1 of the present application, a coating is applied between a coating roll 22 pressed against a rubberized backing roll 20 in an exemplary coating process. However, another problem encountered in coating the web 10 is that some of the excess coating will try to wrap around the moving web from a first coated side 12 (underside of the web 10) to an opposite, typically uncoated side 14 both upstream of and at the backing roller 20. The present inventors have determined that there are variety of edge cleaning approaches that can be advantageously applied to overcome these problems associated with coated, moving webs moving through similar processes.